Carriage-axle



(N0 Model.)

WITNESSES Cil 2l D. WENTWORTH. Carriage Axle.

yPaten'cecl Oct. 12,1880.

INVENTOR @www ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT EErCE.

DAVID WENTWORTH, OF GARDINER, MAINE.

CARRIAGE-AXLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,307, dated October 12, 1880.

Application filed August 30, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, DAVID WENTWORTH, of Gardiner, in the county of Kennebec and State of Maine, have invented certain new and `useful Improvements in Carriage-Axles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in carriageaxles.

Heretofore different forms of devices have been employed to prevent sand or dirt from entering between the axle-box and spindle and producing undue friction and wear by its abrasive action on the wearing-surfaces of such parts. Sand-bands have been attached to the inner ends of the wheel-hubs, also to the axles 5 but such devices were found to be but par- -tially effective in use, and were liable to be rendered inefficient by reason of wear or displacement ofthe attachment. Again, a separate block having a groove formed therein has been secured to the axle inside of the spindlecollar, but such device necessitated a novel construction of axle-box, requiring the latter to be of increased length, and added to the weight and cost of the axle. Further, the spindle-collar has been provided with a dou-ble spiral groove, which communicates with a discharge-opening on the under side of the axle. This form of construction is defective, in that sand and dirt are allowed free entrance between the collar and axle-box flan ge through the discharge-opening, and when such extraneous matter inds lod gnient in said opening and the wheel is turned backwardly the abrasive material will be carried toward the inner side of the collar. Again, in such construction of collar the lubricant is discharged through the opening beneath the axle onto the inner end of the hub, and from thence runs onto other portions of the wheel, rendering it unsightly, and also liable to soil and injure wearing-apparel coming in contact with the wheel as persons enter and leave the vehicle.

The object of my invention is to provide axles with devices for preventing the entrance of sand or dust between the axle-box and spindle, and for automatically transferring waste lubricant that escapes from the spindle, together with any abrasive or extraneous substance Which may have entered between the collar and axle-box ange, to the rear portion of the collar, and collecting and depositing such extraneous and waste lnatterin a pocket formed in the collar; and with these ends in view my invention consists, essentially, in a collar on the inner end of the spindle having a spiral groove extending entirely or nearly around its periphery, one end of said spiral groove being located in close proximity to the spindle, and the outer end thereof communieating with a receptacle or pocket formed in the upper side of the collar.

My invention further consists in an axle Ahaving axle-collars on opposite ends thereof',

thecollaron the right-hand end being provided with a right-hand spiral groove, and the collar on the left-hand end provided with a left-hand spiral groove, whereby the revolution of the axle-boxes will operate to carry the waste lubricant toward the inner ends of said collars and deposit the same in receptacles or pockets formed in said collars.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view, in side elevation, of a carriage-axle, with portions of the axle-boxes broken away to clearly illustrate my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, in side elevation, of one end 0f the axle, the axlebox being partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the spindle and spirally-grooved collar.

A represents the axle, and B B spindles, which parts may be of any desired form and construction. The spindles may each be provided with a straight groove, a, to distribute the lubricating material equally over its entire length, or may be furnished with any other approved devices or means for properly' distributing the lubricant.

Atthe inner ends of spindles B B are located the collars C G', which may be of any desired diameter and width. These collars are preferably formed solid with the axle and spindle. The collar G, on the right-hand spindle, is provided with a right-hand spiral groove, D, and collar C', on the left-hand spindle, with a lefthand spiral groove, D', as both of said spiral grooves operate in the same manner.

I will now give a detailed description of the construction and operation of the spiral groove IOO in the right-hand collar C: Groove l) commences at the point l, which is in close proximity to the outer end, c, of collar U, and encircles the periphery of the collar and terminates in, or communicates with, a pocket or receptacle, E, the latter being formed in the upper side of the collar, and of any desired size and depth.

lt will be observed that the end b of the spiral groove isin the sameplane as the pocket E, or, in other words, a line drawn parallel to the axle will intersect the inner end of the spiral groove and the pocket or receptacle. Hence the spiral groove and pocket, taken together, nearly or completely surround the collar.

F is the axle-box, having au inwardly-projecting llange, (l, which fits snugly upon the collar'C. A washer, e, is interposed between the outer end, c. of the collar and the annular shoulder c within the flange G. The outer end, a, of the llange G is made to come llush with the inner end,e, of the collar, and, as the ends ofthe collar are made without any opening or groove formed therein, dust and sand will be prevented from gaining entrance to the spindle, except such slight quantity as may enter between the snugly-fitting wearing-snrfaces ofthe flange of the axle-box and the periphery ofthe collar.

When the axle-box is revolved it has a tendency and will operate to cause the oil or lubricating material applied to the spindle to llow inwardly toward tlie collar and larger portion of the spindle and axlel ox. This is true and well known of all tapered spindles.

In ordinary forms of construction the lubricant, thus caused to llow inwardly, will llow over the collar and drip onto the inner end of the hub, and from thence fall onto the spokes of the wheel; but in my improved axle the lubricant, when it reaches the collar, will enter the spiral groove. Theed ges of the latter. being located on a line diagonal to the line of move ment of the flange, operates to scrape the lnbricant from the inner surface of the tlange and collect it in said spiral groove. As the spiral groove I) is cut right-handed, the flange revolving therein will operate to force all the waste lubricating material inwardly or toward the inner end of the collar, thus causing it to be transferred to the upper side of the collar and deposited in the pocket or receptacle E.

Should any sand or abrasive material obtain entrance between the llange and collar it will be e'ectually prevented from reaching the spindle, as it is cut ofi' therefrom by the spiral groove extending entirely around the collar, and hence all such extraneous matter will fall into the spiral groove and he carried, with the waste lubricating material, to the upper side of the collar, and be deposited in the pocket or receptacle E.

From the foregoing it will be observed that certain valuable and important results are obtained by my invention.

The spirally-grooved collar having solid ends, in connection with the llange of the axlebox, which snugly lits the periphery of said collar, operates to almost entirely prevent the entrance of sand or dust between the wearingsurfaces of such parts, and the small quantity of abrasive matter which may Ind its way between the llange and collar is prevented from entering between the axle-box and spindle, and is carried inwardly to the upper side of the collar and deposited in the pocket or receptacle.

Again, the waste lubricant, instead of being allowed to accumulate on the spindle and become gummy and oppose the free movement of the axle-box, or being allowed to escape and drip onto the hub and spokes of the wheel, is drawn away from the spindle and carried to the receptacle E, wherein it, together with any abrasive material, is deposited and retained until removed.

The left-hand collar C is provided with a lefthand spiral groove, D', which operates to carry the oil or lubricating material inwardly and deposit it in a pocket or receptacle.

As the construction and operation ofthe spiral groove D is identically the same as that of the spiral groove D, with the single exception that it causes the waste lubricating material to tlow in an opposite direction, a repetition of the operation is not necessary.

It is evident that slight changes may be made in the construction and form of parts without departing from the spirit ofV my invention, and hence I would haveit understood that I do not restrict myself to the exact construction and relative arrangement oi parts shown and described; but',

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the spindle and axle-box having a flan ge on the inner end thereof', of a collar on the inner end of the spindle having a spiral groove formed therein and extending entirely around the periphery of the collar, the inner end of the spiral groove terminating in, or communicating with, a pocket or receptacle formed in the upper side of the collar, substantially as set forth.

2. An axle with collars on the inner ends of the arms or spindles,with spiral grooves formed therein, and extending entirely or nearly around the periphery oi' the collars, the inner ends of the spiral groove terminatingin, orcommunicatin g with, pockets or receptacles formed in the upper side of the collars, the collar on the right-hand arm or spindle having a righthand groove, and the collar on the left-hand arm or spindle having a left-hand groove, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 24th day of August, 1880.

DAVID WEN'IWORTH.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM C. PALMER, A. R. SIMMONS.

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